guard 1 of 2

Definition of guardnext
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as in defensive
a position of readiness to oppose actual or expected attack be on your guard against snakes in the swamp

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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as in lock
a protective device (as on a weapon) to prevent accidental operation slid the guard into place over the chainsaw chain

Synonyms & Similar Words

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5
as in guide
one that accompanies another for protection, guidance, or as a courtesy the honor guards raised their sabers as the happy couple descended the church steps

Synonyms & Similar Words

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guard

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word guard different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of guard are defend, protect, safeguard, and shield. While all these words mean "to keep secure from danger or against attack," guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

In what contexts can defend take the place of guard?

The words defend and guard are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

When can protect be used instead of guard?

While the synonyms protect and guard are close in meaning, protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

a hard hat to protect your head

Where would safeguard be a reasonable alternative to guard?

In some situations, the words safeguard and guard are roughly equivalent. However, safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

When is shield a more appropriate choice than guard?

The words shield and guard can be used in similar contexts, but shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

How is the word guard different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of guard are defend, protect, safeguard, and shield. While all these words mean "to keep secure from danger or against attack," guard implies protecting with vigilance and force against expected danger.

White House entrances are well guarded

In what contexts can defend take the place of guard?

The words defend and guard are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defend denotes warding off actual or threatened attack.

defend the country

When can protect be used instead of guard?

While the synonyms protect and guard are close in meaning, protect implies the use of something (such as a covering) as a bar to the admission or impact of what may attack or injure.

a hard hat to protect your head

Where would safeguard be a reasonable alternative to guard?

In some situations, the words safeguard and guard are roughly equivalent. However, safeguard implies taking precautionary protective measures against merely possible danger.

our civil liberties must be safeguarded

When is shield a more appropriate choice than guard?

The words shield and guard can be used in similar contexts, but shield suggests protective intervention in imminent danger or actual attack.

shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of guard
Noun
The lugs and crown guards are decorated with yet more diamonds. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 21 Apr. 2026 Even experienced users can get caught off guard when everything appears normal. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
Carmona showed his versatility last season by moving to guard after playing left tackle the previous three seasons. ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026 Being the harder-playing team and just guarding. Zack Cox, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for guard
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guard
Noun
  • Polis’ attorneys said Tuesday that the governor essentially trusted an ICE agent’s word that the agency wanted the information for a criminal probe, rather than so that ICE could arrest and deport immigrant children or their guardians, as the groups suing Polis have alleged.
    Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026
  • If Floridians register as a minor, their parents or legal guardians have the authority to make the final decision.
    Bruce Staley, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • That includes safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren of Toledo, whom NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah rates as the 16th-best prospect in the draft, and San Diego State defensive back Chris Johnson, whom Jeremiah ranks 40th.
    Arnie Stapleton, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
  • The Celtics’ defensive-rebounding rollercoaster has an argument as the most surprising turnaround in the NBA this season.
    Fred Katz, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Note the control and tightness of the hatched lines on the cheek, and the way the mark loosens with the locks of hair right next to it, like wind rushing around a building.
    Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Start installing the new lock by inserting the latch mechanism.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Smith notes that several of the Bucs’ free agents on defense — Anzalone, defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson and outside linebacker Al-Quadin Muhammad — play with the kind of edge he is known for.
    Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Japan, which has been ramping up defense spending in recent years, is seeking to counter regional security threats and support partner countries during wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
    Sam Meredith,Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Intentionally, there is no permanent Tunnel Projects sign anywhere in the complex, though a small map on a signpost is set out inconspicuously at a side entrance, and a paper guide is taped to the wall next to the ground-floor elevator, which is hidden in an alcove.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
  • The guide spans decades-old gems like The Diamond and Lupie’s alongside spots like Bird Pizzeria and Fin & Fino, proving Charlotte’s food diversity rivals any major city.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In discussions of people like Michael Jackson, some defenders insist on distinguishing between the artist and the art, but a bio-pic is necessarily about both.
    Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • In the 53rd minute, however, LAFC defenders were stretched and Werner, on the left, struck a cross that found Ousseni Bouda for the first of the Burkina Faso native’s two goals on the day.
    Josh Gross, Daily News, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The idea that Chelsea’s participation in the Club World Cup impacted them is not, according to people with knowledge of their outlook, who asked to be kept anonymous to protect relationships, a majority view at Chelsea.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
  • As the world gets warmer and garment workers in the global South continue to bear the brunt of rising temperatures, protecting them has never been more urgent.
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Any action on either side to blockade this chain would prove detrimental to both naval and commercial traffic in the region.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Trump said Iran can’t blockade the Strait of Hormuz.
    Ryan Mancini, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2026

Cite this Entry

“Guard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guard. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.

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